When Do You Need to See a Pediatric Physiotherapist?

Many people are not sure if their baby might need to see a pediatric physiotherapist. Here are some examples of when it would be good to contact someone for help.

Delay in Motor Milestones

This is can be tough to determine for parents who don't have a trained eye for this. It's not always "what" they are doing but the "quality" of the movements you see. You can refer to my previous blogs regarding milestones and when you should expect them to occur. Some other things to consider would be:

3 months:

difficulty lifting head in tummy time

stiff legs with very little movement

pushes back with head and keeps hands fisted

6 months:

rounded back

poor head control

arms held back/stiff legs

9 months:

use one hand more than the other

poor use of arms in sitting

difficulty crawling

uses only one side of the body

cannot take weight on legs

12 months:

difficulty getting to standing or only used arms to pull up

sits with weight to one side

needs to use hands to maintain sitting

Head preference/Torticollis or Plagiocephaly

If you notice your baby mostly looks to one direction or their is a flat spot on the back of their head to one side, they may have a torticollis or a plagiocephaly or both. Often if there is a plagiocephaly, there is also a torticollis in the neck, which explains why the flat spot on your baby's head is on one side. By addressing the torticollis, you are addressing the plagiocephaly because it can improve baby's neck range of motion, thereby changing the preference your baby often wants to look, or sleep

In Toeing

In toeing can come from 3 main sources:

1. The foot (metatarsus adductus). This is when the forefoot turns inwards. Surgery is usually not needed but a physiotherapist can help with this. Sometimes taping or bracing can be helpful.

2. The lower leg (internal tibial torsion). This is when the shin bone (tibia) turns inward. This usually corrects over time.

3. The hip (femoral anteversion). This is the most common cause and can correct overtime but it also can worsen between 2-6 years of age. It is harder to make changes after this as the bones begin to harden. Physiotherapy can help using stretching and strengthening exercises. Also avoid letting your child sit in a W position

There are many other reasons your child may need Physiotherapy. These include toe walking, various orthopedic conditons, cerebral palsy, and other genetic conditions.

If you think your child may need physiotherapy please feel free to contact me!